Found this gem on the way back from NYC to Boston after the marathon weekend. I needed something filling and great after such an event before returning home and this place was it. Had: Lobster ravioli Chicken grinder to go Chicken parm Whole wheat pasta All of the above was incredible, especially the lobster ravioli. May have to make the trek back here from Boston, it's that good. read more

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Carmela's has become one of my favorite food stores in the Newington/Wethersfield. Every single thing I buy here is fantastic. I love fresh pasta and so far I've tried the pappardelle, cavatelli, gnocchi, and of course the ravioli. They are all super fresh and taste amazing. The eggplant parm is also fantastic, which is saying a lot because I am very picky about eggplant. All of the workers are so friendly and you can tell they really care about the food they make. read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop - Pasta Shops Near Me - Wethersfield, Connecticut

I have loved Ravioli since I was a kid. Carmela's Pasta Shop I's the best we could find in town. I am new in visiting the town, and we were impressed with the good food here. Nice looking mom and pop type of restaurant. I like the way the place looks inside and out. The vibe here is comfortable and fun. Nice workers and atmosphere. I'd visit again in a heartbeat. read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop on the Silas Deane is a unique business. They sell different types of fresh and frozen pasta and prepared meals such as different ravioli, tortellini, lasagna, meatballs, etc. They also have a small functional seating area and will make this food, salads, sandwiches, etc. for takeout or dine in lunch. I've been to Carmela's many times over the years I've lived in Newington. It doesn't feel like Carmela has aged at all in that time by the way. She's there every time. Friendly and energetic. I've bought pasta to make at home and oven ready meals. Although I've enjoyed that portion of her business and would recommend it, I'm going to focus on the lunch business for this review. Today, I ordered sausage and spinach ravioli in meat sauce and ate in the store. The food was good. The sauce was solid. The ravioli were well cooked. But what's really remarkable is the price. Many area Italian places charge more and give you more food than you can eat. There's a time and place for that. Carmela's gives you an appropriate amount of good food at lunch for a good price. I attached a pic of the current menu. You'll note my ravioli dish, and the vast majority of other dishes, cost $9.95. Who charges $9.95 for anything anymore? For workday lunch, I'd rather just pay for what I need than have a ton of leftovers. If you live in the area, I'd recommend keeping Carmela's in your plans. Four Stars read more

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The lasagna was amazing! But I am giving it a 3 because we also got the fettuccine Alfredo and it was by far the absolute blandest Alfredo I have ever had with no flavor, really disappointing. There are a few very small tables inside but they do not allow you to sit an eat inside, which for those of us who are from out of state and then drove an hour to try this place kinda stunk. Sitting in the car trying to eat pasta is not easy. read more

Traveled from Danbury CT to have lunch! It does not state anywhere on the website they do not have sit down lunch on Saturday!! Whoever let us know was also so very unfriendly!! read more

This family owned place has a delicious eggplant and chicken parm, homemade pastas, and her meatballs are delicious. Sauce is excellent and take some home with you!! read more

Pasta is great. Their homemade lasagna is something the family loves. My review wasn't long enough so I added this extra sentence. Enjoy! read more

Food is freshly made and with a great taste excellent menu and choices , staff is friendly and serviceable . Very nice small business with great ambiance read more

Ciao, Italia! Carmela, the shop and the actual person, is just the best. I had such an awesome time talking with her today as she helped me pick some of the most popular meals in the shop. This was my first time there and it will definitely be in rotation when I am driving down the Silas Deane Highway again. There is fresh pasta for sale and they also serve lunch from 11 AM - 3 PM Monday through Friday. I definitely would love to try the Chicken Cutlet Grinder next time. So many different pasta's to choose from: Cheese Tortellini, Meat Tortellini, Rainbow Cheese Tortellini, Fettucini, Spaghetti, Linguini, Angel Hair...yum! I went with the Fettucini. I also picked up a side of meat sauce. There are so many great sauces to choose from too! Pesto, alfredo, clam...just to name a few. I had their Stuffed Shells once before. It was part of a housewarming meal from a close Italian friend of mine. She came over with them when I had just moved into my new home. I will always remember how awesome they tasted as a first meal in the house. I ordered them again tonight and they were just as delicious as they were that first night in the house. Definitely made me smile thinking about all the hard work it takes turning a house into a home. Food can bring back so many memories and feelings. The Stuffed Shells definitely did that for me tonight. I also bought some Italian bread and a Sfogliate- a shell-shaped filled Italian pastry. The pastry's texture resembles stacked leaves. Almost like a Lobster Tail Pastry if you have ever had one. It was crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside, sweet and delicious. Oh! I almost forgot the Spinach and Sausage Raviolis. I can't wait to try those tomorrow! Overall- if you are in need of a few Italian meals, a special meal for the night or even some delicious desserts- Carmela has you covered. It was really so nice getting the time to talk with her too. I hope you do when you visit as well. Ciao! read more

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After our breakfast in Hartford, we wanted to combine our trip with something nearby that would be fun. We decided on checking out one of the many nearby pasta shops for some carby goodness. Yelp led me to Carmela's Pasta Shop on the Silas Deane Highway, and when we drove up and saw their distinctive red, white and green sign, I had a tinge of regret because I have literally driven by Carmela's hundreds of times without a second thought. Well, shame on me for not stopping here earlier. We loved every minute we spent in the store, checking out the refrigerated cases full of entrees and sauces and pastas and a million other things. We loved chatting with the lady in charge, what a joy she was to shoot the breeze with. We bought three things - a pound of ziti ($4.99), a container of pesto sauce ($6.49), and a huge container of homemade meat and cheese lasagna ($14.49). On Saturday night we cooked up the full pound of ziti and combined half of it with some leftover meatballs for our first Carmela's dinner. Honestly the pasta was excellent. It was thicker than what you get out of a box, and had a really nice taste and texture. It's hard to explain how good it was, but really -it was excellent. On Sunday night we combined the other half of the ziti with their pesto sauce, some leftover rotisserie chicken, baby spinach, and broccoli into one delicious green casserole. Tuesday night we fired up that lasagna and after a few forkfuls, my wife looked at me and said ''what do you think?'' The truth is we were both flabbergasted at how disappointing it was. It dished up flat as a pancake- a big collapsed and formless puddle of ricotta cheese with a few shreds of meat and very little pasta. I will eat almost anything, but I didn't come close to finishing this. Extremely disappointing to say the least. The pound of ziti was outstanding. The container of pesto sauce was outstanding. Let's leave it at that. read more

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This shop is a cute little place, impeccably clean and bright. We were greeted by the beautifully-coiffed Carmela, who is enormously friendly and helpful. Her helper, another lovely Italian woman, peeked out and offered greetings from the kitchen. I thanked her for having an access ramp - my legs were killing me and it was easier to negotiate from the parking lot than the stairs in front. We bought some fresh linguine, olive salad, a garden salad, and a quart of meat sauce. I wanted to buy the whole store! The sfogliatelle listed on the menu was unavailable. Carmela apologized profusely, and explained that they don't sell well in Summer, but she would make a modest order if I needed them for a party. They don't buy them - they make them from scratch! I'm in love. They offer hot lunches, salads and ginormous grinders for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:300 to 3:00. The rest is fresh pasta specialties and frozen, oven-ready entrees. Everything is for take-out. They might have a table or two for eating lunch, but I didn't notice them. We want to return, and buy some specialty ravioli and manicotti. Now, fresh pasta must be served immediately upon cooking. I cooked it, and kept it warm in the sauce for just a few minutes while I finished the entree, and it had lost its "tooth." I wasn't looking for "al dente," but what I served was a bit mushy. I plan on trying their pappardelle, next time. And cavatelle. Everything else was very good - except the sauce. I'm afraid the tomatoes used were not San Marzano. The flavor wasn't "tomatoey" enough. There wasn't enough garlic. Worse, instead of bay leaves and basil balancing with oregano, the sauce had none of the former and too much of the oregano - waaay too much. We'll forgive them, as tomato sauce is a very subjective thing. And we will try their Marinara, but only after we ask how the seasoning differs from the Meat Sauce. Our hopes aren't high, as the tomatoes weren't the best. Cans of Napoli brand domestic tomatoes were available for sale in the store. Perhaps they think the imported are too costly. By way of explanation, when I make my own sauce, it contains no oregano at all, just garlic, basil, bay leaf and a pinch of lavender. Prices were mid-range. No outrageous surprises here, thankfully. Grinders are $10-$12, sauce is $7.99 a quart, the pasta ranges from $5 to $12. Go here for the pasta, salads and grinders. We will return for pasta, olives and desserts, but probably not for the sauce if the Marinara is as disappointing as the meat sauce. By connection the prepared dinners are iffy for us because of the sauce issue. YMMV. read more

Delicious and fresh! An incredible assortment of pastas, fresh or frozen. Reasonable prices! Fabulous cannolis! Wonderful family owned and gracious staff! Love to see pictures of the family in the shop. read more

I love this place! Carmela is a lovely lady and she cooks like my grandmother from Italy. She does specialties such as pizza rustica for Easter. Or just stop by and pick up a quick home made lasagna for dinner and a loaf of fresh bread. You will not be disappointed! I never have. I'm so glad I found her so many years ago. read more

Who would have thought that a non-descript building on the SIlas Dean Highway in Wethersfield could hold so much good food, but it does. Enter these doors and what awaits you is something that is harder to find these days in a society where - quick and ready is the norm. Think fresh linguine - but not just semolia pasta. On my most recent foray trays of squid ink and saffron pasts waited in the many coolers for customers to snatch up to create a version of Little Italy in their own home. But the feast does not stop there - freezer cases filled with shelves of pasta - from meat and cheese tortellini, gnocchi, and what I always go for - the ravioli. But not just your standard meat and cheese ravioli (which are tasty) - think Gorgonzola, lobster, sausage and spinach, roasted vegetable, butternut squash, and pumpkin. And to round out your meal - make sure you try some of their freshly made sauces and homemade garlic bread, which I recommend dipping in their pesto sauce. Heaven in a bite The owner - although not there as often anymore - was there on my most recent visit and gave me some great tips on the types of sauces I should make to accompany my ravioli - they were all spot on. Additionally - they sell a variety of sandwiches, side dishes, and other Italian staples making it easy, to pick up on the way home from work after a long day, pop in the oven for dinner, and be soon enveloped in Italian comfort. read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop - Biscuit - Pasta Shops Near Me - Wethersfield, Connecticut

Wanting something more than a fast food lunch, I stopped by Carmela's Pasta Shop on a whim. I have never visited before; but, I'm glad I finally did. In fact, this is one of those times when I find myself wondering how to award an additional half star to my review. Four is not quite enough. Carmela's struck me as a true, old fashioned, Italian place that would have fit right in up the street on Franklin Avenue in Hartford, when Franklyn Ave. could still rightfully be called "Little Italy". Without tasting the food, I was impressed with the food on display. The visual appeal was similar to what my own Italian grandma would have made, back in the day. But, put that aside for a moment, I was there to eat. And, eat I did. After much self debate (so much goodness to choose from) I went with the sausage and spinach ravioli. The wait time was brief (if you don't want to wait for a hot meal, you can purchase the refrigerated, premade, version to go) and proved to be well worth it. Let's start with the sauce. At first bite, I found it a bit thinner than I'm accustomed to; however, it was thick enough to cling to the pasta, ensuring that every bite was packed with tomato, garlic, and parmesan cheese goodness. I can't adequately describe the flavor, it was simply that good; you will have to try it for yourself to understand. The pasta itself was cooked to the perfect consistency for housing the mildly spicy sausage and vibrantly green spinach within. I will say that the spinach was a bit understated; but, the meal in its entirety wasn't at all compromised by this fact. Bread was an option that naturally I choose with my meal. I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was served warm (even after having traveled back to the office before finding that out). Sopping up the remaining sauce with the bread was the perfect ending to a great meal. Part of the reason I hadn't stopped in prior to now was that I had always assumed that Carmela's was a whole sale grocery store, or simply a caterer (they do appear to be both) rather than a restaurant. Rest assured, you can eat in, but seating is extremely limited. In short if you want great food, stop in. If you want a night out with your significant other, well, make it a picnic and take your food to go. read more

I happened to pass by the restaurant while traveling for business and I'm so glad I stopped. Traditional homemade italian goodness. Food for the stomach and soul. Literally took me back home. Plus the owners are the nicest people. Happily bought a lasagna to take home as well. Definitely will be back whenever I'm around. read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop - Pasta Shops Near Me - Wethersfield, Connecticut

Amazing home made pasta also a smile on Carmela's face and the place is always clean. Love this place read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop - Pasta Shops Near Me - Wethersfield, Connecticut

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Wow! I can't recommend this business enough. The Italian food is top notch and the service is great. We ordered large trays of food for Easter and everything was tasty and delicious. They have vegetarian options which we love. My entire family was pleased with the food and had plenty to eat. We will definitely be returning in the very near future! read more

I needed a large portion fast for a party and I blew the planning. Came here in hopes of finding something. They recommended baked ziti tray (frozen), which worked brilliantly. Bread was very good, sauce was nice. Be advised, though (and they will tell you this) that the pasta in the frozen dinners is not there's because fresh pasta won't hold up-- it would turn to mush. Tried a little bag of fresh stuff and it was very good. read more

Carmela's has a good selection of stuffed raviolis, but other than that I don't see what all the hype is about. All of their pastas and sauces are kept frozen. It's a small place with a few other things available such as biscotti and deli-style sandwiches. The pasta was overpriced in my opinion. read more

Decided to stop by for lunch. Been reading good reviews about this place. Add me to the list, had the Salami grinder, bread was fresh, sandwich was great. Friendly staff, fresh food. All was worth the trip. I will be back and next time i will try something with sause, based on the reviews for that too. Deff go check this place out. read more

Wow! Amazing is the best way to describe it. Delicious Angel Hair Pasta, get it with the meat sauce. They do not serve the tables on Saturday but you can get it to go and sit in their dining area 6 two person tables. She also has Italian treats and raw pasta to take home to make. Worth the visit! In the mood for some authentic Italian, this is the place! read more

Carmela's Pasta Shop - My tasty meal, served to me minutes after walking in the door! - Pasta Shops Near Me - Wethersfield, Connecticut

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Only 3-4 small tables for lunch, but real home cooked specials and sandwiches. Take home the finest, made on premisis (by Carmella) pasta and sauces. read more

The pasta is so yummy, I end up eating some of it raw. While I have not eaten at Carmela's, I have bought their home made pasta on many occasions. I guess I forget that they also are a restaurant. Great service, the Italian ladies are so much fun to talk too. If you are planning a trip to Italy, stop in and talk with them about it. I am sure they would love it. They also have many types of raviolis and other pasta dishes that you can bring home to cook. I don't get to Carmela's enough. read more

Yum Yum! Needed to put together a quick dinner before going out on a Saturday evening so stopped in to pick up fresh ravioli, sauce and bread. Fresh cheese ravioli was absolutely delicious - great texture of the pasta and the cheese filling was light & fluffy. Tomato sauce was very fresh and the bread had a great subtle sesame taste to it. Made a quick salad while the ravioli heated up and had a great tasting dinner on the table within 10 mins and for $15 (for a family of 4). Doesn't get much better than that! Haven't tried any of the frozen raviolis (for variety beyond cheese), or any of the other Italian dishes, but the fresh raviolis were terrific and will definitely have me stopping in when I'm anywhere near the store. read more

I've had the ravioli from Carmela's several times, and it's easily some of the best ravioli I've ever had. The only other way to find pasta of this quality is to go to a fine Italian restaurant (where you'll pay twice as much for the same level of quality). The place is also clearly a mom and pop venture, so you know that they are really in it for the food. They have a lot more besides fresh pasta, too. Lots of sauces, sides, and imported goods. A wonderful place to eat! read more

All I can say is WOW! Got lunch for the office and everyone loved their meals. From the Wild Mushroom Ravioli to the meatball grinders to the Pasta Fagioli soup. The sauce is terrific, didn't know there was food this good close to Hartford! read more

Excellent place. The fresh pasta is excellent,great drinkers and their ready made meals are very good. Excellent chicken cutlets and lasagna . Very very nice people. Very nice local pasta and grinder shop. read more

There are tons of choices in the freezer case and refrigerator. The meat tortellini was fantastic in my homemade soup. Yum!!

I am now spoiled and cannot eat dry pasta. The sauces are amazing, the staff were inviting and wonderful. Never spend the $5-8 for fresh pasta in the supermarket again. The carbs injested are worth the time on the treadmill here. read more

I haven't been to Carmela's in a while, so gave it a try again yesterday. As usual, I was not disappointed. Great food. Will be back soon. read more

I used a coupon to try out Carmela's. I bought fresh pasta, meatballs, meat sauce, cheese raviolis, and two canolis for dessert. So far, we had fresh pasta, meatballs, meat sauce and canolis. They are fresh and homemade. I will return now that I know it is located. Thank you. read more

The chicken cutlet grinder is out of this world! So good and fresh, best I have ever had!

I have been coming to Carmelas since 12/2012 when my family wanted to have fresh ravioli for Christmas. I liked the raviolis and sauce so much that I went back to try other items that appealed to me. If you do go here stick to the raviloi's, sauces and fresh pasta which are very good, their sauces are good but they are watery so don't expect a thick sauce. Do not waste your time or money on the frozen meals, I tried the manicotti, stuffed shells and chicken parm and they were all mediocre. read more

My husband and I went for lunch it was excellent! We couldn't leave without buying items to take home. We will be back for more!

We've been to Carmela's several times, and are never disappointed. Weather we get a sub, pasta dish or meal, we are very satisfied. Don't miss this place. read more

I like to take my aunt out for lunch and I decided we should try something new. We were very happy that we did. I agree with previous reviews. It's a little, cosy space and has good Italian food. We had the ravioli and it was delicious. We come from a very Italian family and were delighted with this little gem. We will be back. read more

very nice ravioli...delicate pasta,, variety of nice filings, esp. fond of the meat. The lasagna is also nice

I really enjoyed the sausage and mushroom raviolis, which isn't my usual choice for Italian food. I bought the mushroom sauce which was good but didn't get a lot for the price. just tried the eggplant rollatinis and unfortunately were not the best compared to others I've had, in particular those made by portofinos in Madison. The ham was way too salty and ruined the whole dish. Still have a few more frozen pasta dishes to sample. Overall I still like Carmela's and will go back for fresh pasta. read more